RJHS East Whirlwinds beat Van Buren on road 18-8By George "Clay" Mitchell Van Buren Press Argus-Courier VAN BUREN - Russellville Junior High's East football squad already matched its win total from last season as the Whirlwinds took advantage of three turnovers and took an 18-6 victory over Van Buren Butterfield in Tuesday's season opener at Blakemore Field. Wes Brown came up with the biggest turnover of the night - a fumble that popped into his hands - and returned it 70 yards for a touchd...

Dover junior Pirates hold off Hector for 21-12 win to open football seasonCourier sports staff HECTOR - Dover jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and overcame Tyler Robertson's offensive onslaught as the Pirates claimed a 21-12 victory over Hector in the season opener for both junior high football teams Tuesday night. Aaron Davis scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, and Caleb McGee's PAT kick gave Dover a 7-0 cushion. The Pirates doubled that margin later in the period when Ryan Teer scored from 8 yards out,...

RJHS football teams promising in jamboreeBy Mark Burke sports@couriernews.com Four area teams took the field Tuesday night as Russellville Junior High School's East and West squads hosted a jamboree at Cyclone Stadium. The jamboree featured the Clarksville Panthers and Dover Pirates, along with the Russellville teams, in scrimmage play. The Whirlwind teams played two quarters each against both the Pirates and Panthers as they alternated play. Russellville East matched up with Clarksv...

A World Series return: Russellville wins bid to host Cal Ripken 10-year-olds next yearBy Henry C. Apple sportseditor@couriernews.com Russellville made such an impression during the 2002 16-year-old Babe Ruth World Series that the organization's officials couldn't wait to return. With that in mind, Babe Ruth president and CEO Ron Tellefsen was back in town Tuesday afternoon to officially announce that Russellville had been chosen as the host for the 2005 Cal Ripken 10-year-old World Series. The announcement was made during a pre...

Russellville All-Stars prevail for state tournament titleBy Henry C. Apple sportseditor@couriernews.com Justin Hayes had been in this situation before, and he wanted a different result the second time around. So with the bases loaded with Union County players Sunday afternoon, Hayes caught Kyle Jones looking on a third strike to end the game, allowing Russellville to escape with an 11-10 victory in eight innings and capture the South Arkansas Babe Ruth 16-year-old state tournament title at Hickey Pa...

Late decision lifts Cogswell to winBy Henry C. Apple sportseditor@couriernews.com It's one call that will leave baseball coaches scratching their heads and double-guessing themselves if it goes wrong. Cogswell Motors coach Dick Wright had that decision to make Saturday afternoon - whether or not to send the go-ahead runner home from third on a grounder in the infield with less than two outs. His decision to send Chris Rogers to the plate in the sixth inning was the right call, ...

Local all-stars advance in Babe Ruth tourneyBy Henry C. Apple sportseditor@couriernews.com Some stingy pitching has moved Russellville into the championship game of the South Arkansas 16-year-old state tournament. Three hurlers have combined to throw 14 shutout innings as Russellville moved into the title game, which is set for 2:30 p.m. today at Hickey Park. Russellville claimed a 6-0 victory in Saturday's game against Clark County after posting a 5-0 win over Union County in Friday's ...

Fast start lifts Superior FoodsBy Todd Brooks sports@couriernews.com Superior Foods used a big inning to jump out ahead of the visiting Cabot Lookouts and then held on to claim a 11-4 victory in its last regular season game of the season at Arkansas Tech Field. Russellville's Class AA American Legion team exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the second inning, which was enough to overcome Cabot's comeback attempt and secure the victory. "We're not hitting the ball real ...

Host team must walk from 11-1 defeatBy Todd Brooks sports@couriernews.com The good news for the Russellville 13-year-olds at the Babe Ruth District 5 Tournament being held at Hickey Park was three of their pitchers combined for a one-hitter. The bad news was they also combined for 18 walks as Jacksonville took an 11-1 victory in five innings in a first-round game Saturday afternoon. Russellville trailed just 2-0 through the first two winnings, but Jacksonville scored nine runs o...

Cogswell has right Price for DiamondsBy Todd Brooks sports@couriernews.com After having played six games over three days this past weekend, Cogswell Motors knew it was going to have to battle through some sluggishness in Wednesday night's game against the Little Rock Diamonds at Arkansas Tech Field. Fortunately, Dusty Price on the mound. The Russellville American Legion AAA pitcher threw a complete game in his team's 4-2 victory, improving his record to 5-0 on the season. He stru...

Cogswell Motors upends MaumelleCourier sports staff MAUMELLE - Cogswell Motors did its offensive damage early, and Jeff Tencleve made it stand as Russellville's AAA American Legion team captured a 5-3 victory over Maumelle in conference action Thursday night. Lawson Hipps and Mark Kohler drove in two runs apiece in the first three innings as Cogswell Motors (16-4) built a 5-1 lead. Tencleve did the rest by pitching a complete-game six-hitter, allowing only two hits after th...

Pack hits, pitches and runsBy Todd Brooks sports@couriernews.com Chase Pack's baseball abilities gave him an opportunity not many players get the chance to have - competing on a Major League Baseball field. The 14-year-old from Centerville participated June 13 in the Pepsi Major League Pitch, Hit and Run Team Championship at the Texas Rangers Ameriquest Field. Pack placed third out of four contestants that were drawn from regional championships. The winner of the region...

Cogswell Motors sweeps pool playCourier sports staff MOUNTAIN HOME - Cogswell Motors advanced to the championship round of the 18th annual Twin Lakes Lockeroom Classic with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory in eight innings over Bill Speros Cadillac of Memphis, Tenn. Jeff Tencleve, a recent edition to Cogswell Motors, threw a complete game, allowing eight hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out three. He received the game ball from his teammates. "Our defense playe...

Russellville surprises unbeaten Bryant, 7-3Courier sports staff MOUNTAIN HOME - Bryant was perfect going into Friday's Mountain Home Locker Room Classic tournament game against Cogswell Motors, Russellville's AAA American Legion baseball team, but it didn't stay that way as Cogswell took a 7-3 win. "We're playing great ball right now," Russellville coach Tim Huddleston. "We're playing great defense, and I can't express how much these boys were ready to play ball when they came to this ...

Cogswell's bats erupt in 10-1 winCourier sports staff MOUNTAIN HOME - Dusty Price and Mark Kohler each hit a two-run homer Thursday afternoon, and Dylan Hawkins added a solo blast to lead Cogswell Motors to a convincing 10-1 victory over West Plains (Mo.) in the opening round of the 18th annual Twin Lakes Lockeroom Classic. The trio of long balls proved to be more than enough offense for Russellville's AAA American Legion squad as Kohler and Willie Beights combined to pitch a...

Russellville AA tops NLRBy Todd Brooks sports@couriernews.com After Superior Foods helped North Little Rock get back into the game, the visitors returned the favor in the late innings as Russellville Superior Foods downed the Colts, 7-6, in American Legion AA action Wednesday at Arkansas Tech Field in the first of two baseball games. Russellville took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Superior Foods batters got four hits off of North Little Rock starter Keith ...

Legion teams split twinbillCourier sports staff JACKSONVILLE - Connor Freeman and Zach Jamell combined for a two-hit shutout as Superior Foods rolled to a 10-0 victory over Gwatney Chevrolet in the first game of an American Legion baseball doubleheader Monday night. Freeman pitched four innings and allowed just one hit to pick up the victory, while Jamell allowed one hit in one inning in a game called after five innings because of the eight-run rule. Freeman helped his ...

Superior Foods blasts NLR for 12-1 victoryCourier sports staff NORTH LITTLE ROCK - Brent Race and Kyle McCabe provided the big sticks, and Caleb Powers had a solid performance on the mound as Superior Foods rolled to a 12-1 victory over North Little Rock in American Legion baseball action Tuesday night. Race drove in six runs with a home run and a triple, and McCabe added a grand slam for Russellville's AA team, which improved its record to 8-6. That was more than enough cushion for P...

Russellville AA squad falls twiceBy Henry C. Apple sportseditor@couriernews.com Sometimes change is a good thing, but that wasn't the case for Superior Foods in the first game of Saturday's American Legion doubleheader at Hickey Park. Greenbrier Play Again Sports took advantage of a pitching change with a six-run fourth and held on for a 7-5 victory over Russellville's AA squad. In the second game, Superior Foods took on Nabholz, Greenbrier's AAA team, and suffered a 14-1 set...